Podcasting is a great way to share your voice, ideas, and stories with the world. But it can also be a powerful tool to build a sense of community among your listeners and guests. How can you create a deeper connection and engagement through podcast interviews? Here are some tips to help you.
Before you invite someone to be a guest on your podcast, you need to know who your audience is and what they want to hear. Do some research on your niche, your listener demographics, and their pain points and interests. This will help you choose guests who are relevant, credible, and appealing to your audience. You can also use surveys, reviews, and social media to get feedback from your listeners and learn more about their preferences and expectations.
Researching who your potential listeners are can only go so far. Nothing is more powerful than one-on-one video calls with your actual listeners. You'll learn more from 10 calls than you can learn from all the data in the world. My suggestion is this: To know your audience, KNOW your audience personally by talking to them individually. How do you find your listeners? Two ideas: #1. Look for any form of engagement. Likes, comments, emails, shares, mentions, anything you can see them do to engage with your podcast. Reach out to them from there. #2. ASK in your podcast for 5 minutes of your listeners' time and give them a place to schedule time on your calendar. ^ Be sure to log everything you learn from conversations with listeners.
Listen and be genuinely interested in what your guest has to say. Create an environment in which your guest feels comfortable and confident. Let them speak and share their thoughts and ideas and make it about them not you.
I want to give you my deepest knowledge on creating and contributing. All each of us really can do is create the thing that most reflects our unique 1of1 essence and contributing with that essence. It is a very second to look at client feedback/success unless it is repetitive. I know also that 10/12 % will always be against what you are doing. This is an anthropological function to keep our social animal-drive as a tribe sane and healthy to keep natural balance. Thus, it is interesting how listeners/ customers perceive you but it distracts your from clearest contribution. Every human is limitless and by contributing our essences to humanity, we find fulfillment in any way and serve the best. #TheSmartofArt #dyslexicthinking #humanabilities
Let's keep it simple, if you don't know your audience then the whole effort of working and building that podcast will go down the drain. Here's a thing that I share with budding podcasters. Look in your community, and identify 10 ideal listeners of your podcast. Call them/DM them and share your ideas and mock episodes with them. Ask for honest feedback. If they will like and are ready to subscribe to your content then you have nailed your niche. Until then keep working towards it because without a well defined your podcast will not be growing at all and only confuse your audience.
A sense of community will come from experts who belong to the same community. So research and find people who are active in the field this will not only give you an idea about their knowledge base but also their delivery which is always a plus when it comes to the overall quality.
Once you have a guest in mind, you need to prepare your questions for the interview. Don't just wing it or rely on generic questions. You want to ask questions that are specific, insightful, and engaging. You want to elicit stories, opinions, and emotions from your guest, not just facts and information. You also want to avoid yes or no questions, leading questions, or questions that are too broad or vague. Instead, use open-ended questions, follow-up questions, and probing questions that invite your guest to elaborate, clarify, and reflect.
Crucial podcasting tip! Background checks are a must before hitting that record button! Crafting questions that resonate and engage your podcast guest is an art that begins with understanding their life journey. Personally, I like to put a lot of effort in the "discovery phase" where I look up the speaker's past to uncover key life moments, so I can humanize them for our listeners to relate. It's all about doing the groundwork, earning trust, and creating an environment where guests can relax and have some fun! ?? #PodcastingTips #ContentCreation #AuthenticConversations
The only way that I prepare my questions with anyone I engage is what I am curious about. We don’t know what other people’s preferences are. If we think I could please the audience we manipulate. We can't even choose a preferred outfit for our spouse after being married over 40 years. Rogan and Stern are prime examples. They have a genuine interest in discourse and figuring/learning what they are interested in. By doing that they create captivating dialogue where the audience feels the "learning/unveiling process" even though it is NOT what they are interested in. It is the human dance, a new way of thinking that is captivating. #TheSmartofArt #dyslexicthinking #humanabilities
Questions set the tone of the podcast episode. Here is another hack that I follow with my clients and it always helps. Do your research, yes. What's the POV you are looking for? How have structured the episode? Plan your questions. Arrange a pre-call (A call with your guest before the final recording). Share your thoughts with your guest. Understand their perspective and then rework your script accordingly. That way, the guest also comes prepared with some stories and anecdotes. Do not ask the guest to share everything on the pre-call because then you lose the surprise element, but ask them to keep the stories ready and their thoughts gathered for productive session.
We use POV Discovery and What/Why/How Framework, but it's massively important to ask questions that encourage your guest to share a strong or differentiated POV. In small ways, you're turning their contribution into thought leadership by getting past ubiquitous or pedantic content. For example, asking "What is something everyone in your industry is doing that they should stop?" allows for them to be sufficiently challenging to an idea without having to be controversial. The goal should be to avoid "adding to the noise" of all the content and instead, as often as possible, add a new thought or perspective that others will relate to. Definitely have a few "slow pitch" questions they can crush, but push that envelope as much as possible.
Write a list of open-ended questions that are specific to your guest, but ladder back to the theme of your podcast - but then do your best to ignore them. Trust that your preparation was solid and stay present with the person you're interviewing for a more natural and connected interview.
During the interview, you need to be a good listener and pay attention to what your guest is saying. Don't interrupt, talk over, or dominate the conversation. Don't just wait for your turn to speak or follow a rigid script. Instead, listen actively and attentively, and show interest and curiosity. You can use verbal and non-verbal cues, such as nodding, smiling, and affirming, to acknowledge and encourage your guest. You can also use paraphrasing, summarizing, and reflecting to show that you understand and empathize with your guest.
Active listening is a key skill here and from my experience I have found that often the best conversations are ones which go off script so to speak when an answer to a question takes things on another path.
If one cannot be a great listener, then being a podcast host is not something one should look for. A podcast host should be someone who has deeply researched about his upcoming guest, should be ready with their questions, and should be empathetic enough to give all the space to their guest. They should be fully involved and engrossed in their guest with genuine curiosity so that the follow-up questions should be asked without breaking the guests' flow and ensuring that the guests also stick to the structure of the episode and do not digress a lot. Your promise of delivering authentic content through your podcast matters the most.
This might be the hardest thing to do while conducting an interview. Remember! This isn't Channel 3 news where you have to interview someone live shortly after a tornado has rolled through homes. The stakes are small and you can fix things like timing or silences (or bad answers, perish the thought!) in post pro. It's massively important that you're not just thinking about your next input or question. Disengagement is the death of momentum in any interview. If the guest doesn't feel like *you* are listening it'll kill the vibe. In that way, you *represent* the audience. This is also where your skill as an interviewer is truly showcased (or not...). Curiosity is key. Don't be afraid to pursue interesting through lines.
Resisting the urge to um and ah is so key for the human listening to your podcast interview or conversation. Where you place a verbal listening cue may not be where the listener would [or they may not agree with your response] so hold it in and stick to visual listening cues.
Emphasizing the power of active listening in content creation! ??? Some of the most valuable insights emerge from a guest's comments, making it crucial to be fully present during interviews. Missing the chance to expand on an idea means forfeiting the opportunity to capture an authentic and enriching moment. Newbie Tip: echoing or repeating something your guest said not only reinforces their contribution but also fosters a genuine and engaging conversation. Non-verbal contributions such as smiles and nods of encouragement go a long way too! Try to keep sounds minimal so that the mic picks up the speaker and does not distract from their words! ?? #ActiveListening #ContentCreation #AuthenticConversations #Podcasting #EngagingContent
As a podcast host, you also need to add value and context to the interview. You need to provide some background information about your guest, their work, and their achievements. You need to introduce the topic and the purpose of the interview. You need to explain any terms, concepts, or references that might be unfamiliar or confusing to your audience. You also need to connect the dots and highlight the key points and takeaways from the interview. You can use stories, examples, and analogies to make the interview more relatable and memorable.
The value that you can add to a system-relevant conversation is more system-relevant knowledge that you actually can get all over the web or more from AI. No one has the time for more system-relevant banter. Stop thinking about the audience contextually. A true human-centric contribution is dancing with your guest/host by contributing to each other and enjoying the interaction. Many podcasters start doing this already because conversation is not a business, it can become a business when humans relate over years and develop a liking/love with your NATURAL UNIQUENESS. #TheSmartofArt #dyslexicthinking #humanabilities
Introducing your guest and their achievements in your own voice [eg not reading a bio] shows great respect for the person you're interviewing, it shows you've researched them and it saves them from doing the self intro [which everyone hates, let's be honest].
After the interview, you need to engage your community and keep the conversation going. You need to thank your guest and your audience for their time and participation. You need to invite feedback, questions, and comments from your listeners and your guest. You need to share the interview on your website, social media, and other platforms. You also need to follow up with your guest and your listeners and show appreciation and gratitude. You can also use incentives, challenges, and calls to action to motivate your community to take action and join your tribe.
One of the best ways of using a podcast is to build a community for your audience. Question: How to do that? Sharing my way here: Find the most comfortable social media/marketing platform like WhatsApp, Discord, Instagram, or maybe a newsletter. Repurpose the content and talk about the content on your WhatsApp channel or group, your Instagram or Broadcast channel, or maybe YouTube. Invite your listeners to join that particular channel. Getting your audience's feedback is slightly difficult through podcasts but using these channels can help your audience interact with you, and share their feedback with you, and now your community will help you grow in your content and will be fully invested in your journey. It's a win-win for all!
You can be really strategic here but it highly depends on your goal. Do you want to create revenue with that podcast as a freelancer? Do you just want to generate bigger numbers? You rather want to build an engaged fan base instead of just focusing on big numbers? All possible. My main advice: Find a good niche for your podcast. You need to be famous to have a super general topic. Then check out where that niche is mainly located digitally. Ideally, you should be right there all the time. You are a fan of that niche and know how that group behaves because you are one of them. Be active there and be a part of the conversation. Now provide more insights through your podcast. Be really consistent for a long time. Not a shortcut but it works.
Create a community funnel. The podcast should not be the only place your content exists. Social media is the obvious starting place that most folk go to, but having a strategy for your funnel (where audiences can go from casual "likers" to fanatic "listeners" and everywhere in between). This is a big lift at first, but a very sustainable prospect if you're efficient. Offering e-mail access only is not a great way to interact with your audience or build one. Also remember that Podcast platforms often have little or no distribution opportunities, while YouTube will promote content that people are viewing. You need those people to be your audience. Just as you lead your guest, ask awesome questions to encourage your audience's feedback.
Finally, you need to improve your skills and become a better podcast interviewer. You need to review your performance and evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. You need to seek feedback from your guest, your audience, and your peers. You need to learn from your mistakes and celebrate your successes. You also need to keep learning and growing as a podcaster and a communicator. You can read books, listen to podcasts, take courses, and join groups to hone your craft and expand your network.
Build a network of other podcasters in multiple industry. Ask for honest feedback. One of my favorite Danny Meyer lessons is the ABCD principle. It works very well for improving your podcasting game: Always Be Collecting the Dots so that you can Always Be Connecting the Dots. Gather as much information as you can about the craft of storytelling, the craft of publishing, the craft of promoting, the craft of distributing. As you gather the information use it weekly in your own show to improve.
The earlier you are in the process the easier this is. Podcasters by and large are some of the nicest people on the planet and want to see others succeed in their practice. Ask them for advice. In the same way that we'll sit down and type away here to give the best advice we can, they'll walk you through a ton of wisdom that will save you 20 tons of trouble. Work on that thick skin. Receiving feedback is a life lesson that we try to avoid. There's a significant overlap between being a great host or interviewer and becoming mature as a person. Making the transition from encountering feedback to seeking it out will determine how quickly you can improve. Lastly, practice. Get as many reps as you can. Proper practice makes perfect.
Listen to A LOT of podcasts out there. The best ones in your niche but also about other topics. What elements are they using in their podcast? Do you like the audio quality? How do they treat guests and their community? Oftentimes, there is an episode about their podcast project where they share insights. Invite other podcasters to discuss niche topics in your podcast. But what is helpful for your skills: Talking before and after the show. Jut get to know them and talk about their project. They will tell you a lot when the mic is off. Now you know each other. With most podcasters, you can always ask for help. It is a really cool community.
Consider the best path for folk to become members of your audience. How did you find other creators? Establish your plan of engagement, and have multiple pathways. If your community consists solely of people who listen to your podcast and a podcast-named e-mail address, you're doing your content a disservice. You're missing out on a ton of potential. Create the funnel. Establish the pathway from quick views on social media or YouTube recommendations, to signing up for a newsletter and subscribing to the podcast. Not only does it exponentially impact your discoverability, but gives your audience multiple points of interaction that suit how they like to consume content. Little bit o' work; lot o' bit of results. #paretoprinciple
Remember that a Podcast is not a broadcast, it's 1:1. As you are speaking to one listener, not listeners [plural], address them as such. This also applies to addressing your social media audience, the "Hey guys" in a reel / vid or story is an immediate turn off.